The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has mapped out how the events industry can reach its goal of no waste being sent to landfill from UK exhibitions by the end of the decade.

According to citmagazine.com, today (March 5th) marks the launch of the group’s ‘Zero waste events: a 2020 vision’ roadmap which forms part of a major new initiative designed to slash waste levels in the sector.

The guide learns from lessons at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to present a number of steps that planners, event spaces and businesses can use to achieve a zero waste status.

Specifically, WRAP’s guide details the clear vision for how the £36 billion industry can achieve zero waste by 2020 whilst outlining considerations for preparing and hosting an eco-friendly event.

Dr Liz Goodwin, chief executive at WRAP, believes that by the industry individually and collectively taking on the challenge, targets can be met and companies can start to see the economic benefits of going green.

“Making waste prevention part of an event’s plan can deliver significant savings for businesses large and small,” she went onto tell businessgreen.com. “It will benefit all, from local community activities right up to large-scale UK events like the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow.”

The sector only achieves a recycling rate of 15 per cent at present, with thousands of tons of waste entering landfill each year.